Geoffrey Boycott launches scathing attack on 'untouchable' Alastair Cook as Andrew Strauss nears ECB role
Strauss looks set to be appointed as the new director of cricket, but Boycott has hit out at the decision that will keep Cook 'safe and captain forever'
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Your support makes all the difference.Alastair Cook believes he is "untouchable" as England captain, according to Geoffrey Boycott who launched an astonishing attack on the left-hander.
Boycott took exception to Cook's comments towards Colin Graves in the wake of the defeat to West Indies in Barbados over the weekend, as the islanders managed to secure a shock 1-1 Test series draw.
The incoming England and Wales Cricket Board chairman labelled the West Indies "mediocre" before the series began, a comment Cook thought gave England's opponents plenty of ammunition to put one over on the tourists.
Cook also told the BBC: "That's a Yorkshireman for you - they're quite happy to talk a good game", which struck a nerve with former England batsman and Graves' fellow Yorkshireman Boycott.
The 74-year-old told the Daily Telegraph: "Every time Alastair Cook opens his mouth, he sticks his foot in it. We lose a Test and fail to win a series, and he blames Colin Graves.
"Graves is going to be his new boss on May 15, yet it is unbelievable that Cook talks disrespectfully about him.
"Cook acts as if he is the best captain England have ever had. He is living in cloud-cuckoo land about his captaincy ability. He thinks he is untouchable."
Boycott has also concluded Cook is emboldened by reports his former opening partner for England and friend Andrew Strauss is about to take the newly-created position of ECB director of cricket.
The role has been created after the managing director role was scrapped following Paul Downton's sacking last month.
"If that is the best that Tom Harrison, the chief executive, can come up with, God help us," added Boycott. "Why? Because Cook calls him 'Straussy', they opened the innings together for a long time, are best mates, shared dressing rooms.
"So Cook will be safe and captain forever, as will some other players Strauss played alongside. He is too close to so many of the current players to take an objective view.
"So don't hold your breath for the promised changes, as we will be swapping one nice lad - Paul Downton - for another in Strauss. The more the England and Wales Cricket Board changes, the more it stays the same."
Conversely, former England off-spinner Graeme Swann believes Strauss would be the ideal candidate, even though the job description has not been outlined externally.
Swann played under Strauss from 2009 until 2012 and has hailed the former opening batsman's leadership qualities.
"Strauss is a fantastic leader of men, he knows cricket inside out and is a born diplomat and politician," Swann told BBC Sport.
"I can't think of anyone better for the role, whatever it is.
"Without seeing the job description, we've no idea the influence he will be able to have.
"But in my experience he is a great man to have in charge."
Michael Vaughan, meanwhile, has ruled himself out due to the "limitations" of the role.
The 2005 Ashes-winning captain had been a major frontrunner for the position and although he held talks with Harrison, Vaughan decided he had no interest in taking the matter further.
"I met Tom Harrison, the chief executive of the ECB, last week and had a really good long meeting to find out more about the new position of director of cricket that has been created by the board," Vaughan told the Daily Telegraph.
"But after really good talks with Tom, and gaining an understanding about the role, I felt this was not the right time for me to move into such a position.
"At no stage was I offered the role or never reached the stage of talking about terms and conditions. We just had discussions about the job, how it was going to work and how the ECB see it operating.
"It will be a position of huge importance to the development of English cricket over the long term but during our talks the limitations of the role became clear to me and I realised it was not the right job for me at this moment in time."
PA
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